


A Bushel and a Peck

by justdk



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Autumn, Fluff, Holding Hands, Holidays, M/M, POV Neil Josten, Seasonal, Tumblr Prompt, apple picking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28087245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justdk/pseuds/justdk
Summary: Andrew picked a few low hanging apples, handing one to Neil. They wiped them off on their shirts and snacked on them while they looked for the rest of the team. The sweet, tangy juice filled Neil’s mouth and ran down his chin. It tasted way better than a store-bought apple.Overhead crows called to each other and the smell of apples filled the crisp, autumn air. Neil closed his eyes and breathed in deep, holding in the feeling of freedom and possibility. When he opened his eyes, he found Andrew looking at him, hazel eyes warm and steady.[or: the Foxes go apple picking]
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 6
Kudos: 131





	A Bushel and a Peck

**Author's Note:**

> This was a tumblr prompt for "the foxes go to a pumpkin patch/ haunted corn maze/ haunted house" but for some reason I could not seem to write this prompt the way I wanted! I missed the Halloween deadline but hopefully folks will still enjoy it or discover it next autumn.

“Three words,” Allison said as she led the way across the crowded parking area, “apple cider donuts.”

Neil wrinkled his nose. “Apple cider in donuts?”

“Yes, Neil,” Allison replied. “Apple cider in donuts. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried them.” She made a chef’s kiss gesture, lengthening her stride as she made a beeline towards the rustic red farmhouse in front of them.

“I guess I haven’t lived,” Neil muttered to Andrew.

Andrew shrugged and tugged on Neil’s sleeve, pulling him out of the group and towards the split-rail fence that wrapped around the farm. Neil went willingly, perching on the fence while Andrew lit up. They’d been in the car for hours and, while Andrew often smoked when driving, he had stopped doing so whenever Aaron was in the car. It was a part of their reconciliation deal.

Neil looked out over the fields. Right next to the fence was the pumpkin patch and behind it was the corn maze. He watched as a tractor pulled a wagon loaded with people – mostly families with small children – off into the trees. Kids ran by in Halloween costumes, their parents chasing after them. Couples and college students and small groups of teens wandered around, sipping from Styrofoam cups or nibbling on donuts and candied apples. Around them the trees were brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow, interspersed with green pines. It was unbelievably pretty, like something from a magazine or postcard. 

Andrew leaned against the fence, his arm brushing Neil’s thigh.

“You look like you’ve never seen an apple orchard before,” Andrew said. He tapped his cigarette, spilling ash to the ground.

Neil nodded. “I haven’t. And this is so much more than an apple orchard – they have everything.” Neil eyed the rustling corn with suspicion. “I’m not too keen on the corn maze, though.” 

Andrew smirked. “Neil Josten, child of an infamous killer, is afraid of corn. Don’t tell Nicky, he’ll never let you live it down.”

“It’s Nicky’s fault,” Neil muttered. “All those scary movies. Anything could be hiding in that corn, Andrew, we’d never know.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from the evil children or aliens or whatever you think is lurking in the corn.” Andrew stubbed out his cigarette, dropping it to the ground, and held his hand out to Neil.

Neil took Andrew’s hand and hopped down off the fence. They made their way to the ticket booth and Andrew paid for two passes and the lady working the register handed them two orange wristbands.

They moved off to the side, rejoining the group, and Andrew wrapped the band around Neil’s wrist. Neil returned the favor, holding onto Andrew’s wrist after he’d finished securing the band.

Allison already had a box of apple cider donuts and was sharing with Matt, Renee, and Dan. She called Neil over and handed him one of the donuts. 

The donut was covered in sugar and cinnamon and looked more like a cake donut than the type that Andrew sometimes bought from Krispie Kreme – smooth, golden doughnuts covered in a perfect layer of icing. Neil held it carefully, trying not to spill sugar all over, and took a bite. His eyes went wide. Unlike Andrew’s exceedingly sweet doughnuts, this one had _flavors_. It was sweet, of course, but also spicy, and with a subtle apple taste. It kind of reminded him of a cross between apple pie and coffee cake. He took another bite and hummed in approval.

“He likes it!” Allison cheered. “Despite all evidence to the contrary,” she looked at Andrew, “you do have some good taste.”

Andrew flipped her off and Dan hissed, “ _Not around the children!_ ”

Neil ate half the donut and handed the rest to Andrew. Andrew finished it in two bites, licking the sugar off his fingers with relish. Neil watched him, feeling unreasonably flustered, before Andrew captured his hand and subjected his fingers to the same treatment.

“Oh.” Neil flushed, barely able to make eye contact with Andrew.

“Not around the children!” This time it was half the team shouting at them but Andrew paid them no mind.

“Who knew that y’all would be the PDA offenders on this trip?” Nicky said, shaking his head in admiration. “Oh, how the turn tables.”

“Not my problem that the donuts are finger-lickin’ good,” Andrew drawled. He laced his fingers with Neil’s and tugged him towards the line of people waiting for the next hayride.

“I swear…” Kevin muttered but followed after them.

The team took pictures while they waited, posing with scarecrows and other Halloween decorations. Nicky talked Andrew and Neil into standing behind the wooden cutout of two farmers, their faces glaring through the cut-out holes.

“Oh my God,” Nicky wheezed. “The real American gothic right here, folks.”

When the tractor returned they all squeezed on, sitting near the back of the wagon away from the toddlers and parents. To save room Dan sat on Matt’s lap, his arms wrapped securely around her waist. The rest of team squished together, each bounce over a rut or large rock sending them crashing against each other. Andrew wrapped a protective arm around Neil which helped somewhat. Neil was thankful for the hay bales which kept them from bruising their tailbones with each sharp jolt or lurch.

The tractor’s loud diesel engine and the inconsolable wails from toddles made it impossible to talk during the ride but Neil didn’t mind. He leaned on Andrew and admired the autumn leaves; the trees weren’t nearly this pretty back at PSU.

After a very bumpy ride they reached the apple orchard. The girls set off with Kevin and Matt in tow, determined to pick a bushel of apples. Nicky and Aaron drifted after them, debating the merits of various apple desserts; Aaron was team apple pie while Nicky waxed eloquent over Erik’s mother’s apple cake.

Neil meant to join them – after all, this was his first apple orchard outing – but he got distracted by the horses. Two brown horses and a small donkey stood at the fence, chewing on apple cores. Their ears and tails flicked, trying to ward off flies. A tiny horse ambled over, butting its head against the donkey before selecting an apple to munch on.

“Why is it so small?” Neil asked. He knelt down so that he was level with the miniature horse, looking into its dark, liquid eyes.

“It’s a Shetland pony,” Andrew explained. “That’s just how they are.”

“It’s kind of cute.”

Andrew nudged him with his knee. “You’re kind of cute.”

Neil laughed and selected an apple from the ground and held it out to the pony. It snuffled against his palm, teeth snapping at the apple. Neil yanked his hand back and wiped his palm on the grass.

“Gross. I have horse spit on me.”

Andrew smirked. “I don’t know what you expected, genius.”

Neil frowned and considered wiping horse spit on Andrew but decided against it.

They left the horses and followed the path down among the rows of apple trees. Hand painted signs let pickers know which type of apple trees were in each row. Neil knew some of the names like Granny Smith and Red Delicious, but some were new to him, like Pink Lady and Detroit Red. Neil thought they sounded a bit like superhero or racehorse names.

Andrew picked a few low hanging apples, handing one to Neil. They wiped them off on their shirts and snacked on them while they looked for the rest of the team. The sweet, tangy juice filled Neil’s mouth and ran down his chin. It tasted way better than a store-bought apple.

Overhead crows called to each other and the smell of apples filled the crisp, autumn air. Neil closed his eyes and breathed in deep, holding in the feeling of freedom and possibility. When he opened his eyes, he found Andrew looking at him, hazel eyes warm and steady.

“What?” Neil asked. He grinned a bit self-consciously.

“Nothing.” Andrew’s gaze moved from Neil’s face down his body and back up; the intensity of it made Neil blush.

“Ah.” Neil moved closer, brushing up against Andrew. “Yes or no, Andrew?”

Andrew’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes.”

Neil leaned in and kissed the side of Andrew’s mouth, tasting apple juice and sugar. His sticky fingers tangled with Andrew’s and he smiled.

“What was that for?” Andrew asked softly, eyes lingering on Neil’s mouth.

“Oh,” Neil murmured, “nothing.”

**Author's Note:**

> 'A Bushel and a Peck’ is a song by The Andrews Sisters -- no, I did not know that was the name of the group beforehand and now I’m laughing. The location in this fic is based on the Red Apple Barn in Elijay, Georgia. I’ve been there once for apple picking and it’s lovely.
> 
> you can find me on tumblr @dkafterdark


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